You are here

Working for You

There’s been a lot going on in Washington since the start of this Congress. I wanted to touch base with you to make sure that you’re informed on everything that’s happening. Here’s a rundown of the 113th Congress so far:

Returning Funds to the Taxpayers
Last week, I announced that my office would be returning around $200,000 or 15.2% of my overall budget. That figure is on top of a mandatory 11.1% cumulative cut to all Congressional Offices over the past two years.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I try to run this office the same way I ran my small business. It’s important to apply to our Congressional Office the same common sense principles that we all use to manage our homes and our businesses. If the entire federal government did that, we wouldn’t be $16.5 trillion in debt.

Standing up for the Second Amendment
So far this year, the Administration, as well as some states, have attacked our Second Amendment Rights. I want you to know that I will use every means at my disposal to combat the agenda of the Executive branch to undermine our Second Amendment rights. I will also fight any legislative action that is taken to implement more gun control.

In addition to taking a strong stance against administrative action, I have also sent letters to the heads of Remington Arms and Magpul Industries Corp. asking them to relocate their manufacturing facilities to South Carolina as a result of increased gun control regulations in New York and Colorado.

The South Carolina Offshore Drilling Act
I also introduced HR 771, the South Carolina Offshore Drilling Act. This bill would add South Carolina to the nation’s 5-year plan for offshore exploration and production, a crucial step in safely developing the state’s natural resources, which experts estimate could create up to 7,500 jobs in South Carolina alone.

Last year, I successfully introduced this legislation as an amendment in the House Natural Resources Committee, which eventually passed the House, but was never taken up by the Senate. All four of the other House Republican members of the delegation are cosponsors of this bill.

Getting to the Bottom of the Benghazi Attacks
I haven’t given up on getting to the bottom of the Benghazi attacks. On January 23rd, I had the opportunity to question Secretary Clinton during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. If you haven’t seen it already, you can view my questioning of Sec. Clinton here.

I also issued a letter along with Senator Rand Paul to members of House and Senate leadership requesting immediate action from both chambers of Congress to fully investigate the facts surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. I am doing my best to try and help uncover the truth.

The Upcoming Debt Ceiling Debate
The President’s previous remarks on the debt ceiling show how out of touch he is in regards to America’s spending problem. The President may be the only person in Washington who believes that failing to increase the nation’s credit card limit is the same as failing to pay back the credit card company.

It’s time for us to prioritize federal spending to end the credit card economics. We need to make substantial cuts to non-essential federal programs so that the legitimate functions of government can proceed and no senior, soldier, or veteran is denied their benefits because the government defaults on its debts.

First Subcommittee Hearing as Chairman
Last week, I chaired my first hearing in the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency. The subject of the hearing was DHS’s progress and shortcomings in implementing its various missions, integrating its components, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently.

Oversight to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively is an important part and role of Congress. I’m excited about my new position on this Subcommittee and I look forward to working with my colleagues to make the Department of Homeland Security as efficient and effective as possible.

As I said, the 113th Congress is off to a busy start! I will do my best to continue to keep you informed!